SAM EASTWOOD ON MOTHERHOOD, PILATES AND TRAINING THE STARS

Trainer to the stars Sam Eastwood talks Pilates, the importance of a strong body and why she is passionate about helping new mums

Pilates is the basis of everything that I do,’ announces Sam Eastwood. ‘It’s the most important technique for keeping the mind attached to the body.’ Eastwood is a celebrity trainer and her strict fitness techniques have led to her being in demand from some of the top movie sets including The Mummy’s new incarnation, which is filming in London at the moment, and has seen her return to Richmond after living in LA for the past few years.

Originally from Chichester, Eastwood started modelling and doing commercials, which is where her love for fitness started, as she found herself at the start of the modelling trend when it was super skinny, boring and none of her friends ate – something that didn’t sit well with her.

Pilates is the basis of everything Eastwood does

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‘Really, though, the foundation of where my passion for fitness came from was having a baby in 2009. I realised that I had to do something to help my body through the huge change that happens,’ she says.

‘Women become tougher when they have a baby and I think it is Mother Nature’s way of helping you survive. You can use this to your benefit and that’s what I’m passionate about. You need it for your mummy routines, as I call them, as there is a lot of bending, crouching and movements that need good form to do them safely and stay strong.’

Eastwood went to her first Pilates class after moving to LA and loved it, as she quickly saw that it is a technique that connects your brain closely to your body. So, that’s the premise of her fitness training: Pilates theory and then whatever the client wishes to go with it. ‘Always with a Pilates theory as the core,’ she insists. Doing regular Pilates will help you have a strong from, so you won’t injure yourself when training.

Pilates helps to keep you in touch with your body

When working with actors on film sets, this practice becomes more important. Often Eastwood will work with stunts, so it’s important for the female leads that they maintain their femininity, but are strong enough so they don’t injure themselves when doing movements. ‘The aim is for a functioning body,’ says Eastwood. ‘Routine might change, but form doesn’t have to.’

Eastwood tells me that there isn’t a huge hub for fitness in Richmond right now, but it’s definitely something that is getting bigger. ‘In LA I lived in a place with really bespoke workout studios, and I thought Richmond might be a little cooler,’ explains Eastwood. But she assures us it is getting there. ‘I feel it’s got a way to go with fitness, but there is a huge excitement around it, so it’s definitely got potential.’

Plus Eastwood did, after all, find herself here because of the outdoor space and the potential for great fitness. ‘I’m in Richmond Park every day, where I apply my Pilates training to running,’ she says. ‘It’s a beautiful place.’

So watch this space – perhaps Eastwood is the ‘cool’ and ‘bespoke’ answer to fitness in Richmond.